By VICTOR ADEOTI

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has called on Federal Government to urgently set up a high-powered investigation panel into the activities of Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State.

Addressing a news conference on Wednesday in Ede, Mr Nurudeen Masopa, the ASUP President, accused the Rector of the institution, Dr John Adekolawole, of corruption and favouritism.

ASUP alleged that the rector allegedly misappropriated over N240 million while owing staff several entitlements, target savings and non-remittance of cooperative deductions.

The ASUP president said that Adekolawole’s administration as rector had been allegedly characterised by religious bigotry, maladministration, highhandedness and victimisation, among others.

“The rector upon assumption of duty as Rector of the Polytechnic has characterised his administration with favouritism and nepotism in the appointment, conversion, upgrading and promotion of staff.

“His overbearing influence on the Academic Board had been preventing robust discussion and decision making on the floor of the Board.

“He approved accelerated promotion and controversial placement of his wife and upgrading of some of his allies without compliance with the extant laws.

“We call on the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the Federal Ministry of Education and President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the Visitor to the Polytechnic, to as a matter of urgency set up a high-powered Investigation Panel to the Federal Polytechnic Ede.

“This is to prevent total collapse of the structure in the polytechnic in terms of academic quality, administrative uprightness and at the same time prevent breakdown of law and order in the polytechnic community,” Masopa said.

In his reaction, the rector, Adekolawole, said all the allegations leveled against him by the union were untrue.

He said that the allegations of corruption, favouritism and nepotism levelled against him were mere distractions of which he was already cleared by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The rector said that his administration had prioritised the welfare of staff and would continue to do so. (NAN)

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